Name that counterargument (Vegan)
"Why should we treat animals any more ethically than they treat one another?" (309&310)
"Humans don't need to kill other creatures in order to survive; carnivorous animals do" (310)
Animal Suffering
While animals on large factories suffer, animals on small factories do not suffer and tend to enjoy their life.
We should be vegan because it lowers the amount of harm.
Utilitarianism
Animals are better off being on the farm
This is the same argument used to justify slavery
The rights of the individual animal.
As a species, they chose to be domesticated because they lived longer and happier lives. "So whose point of view shall we favor? That of the individual bison or Bison" (323)
There is something in our nature, or telos, that makes us different from animals.
Natural law
"Animals on factory farms have never known any other life" (310)
"The proper measure of their suffering, in other words, is not their prior experiences but the unremitting dialy frustration of their instincts" (310)
Eating less meat would cause less animal suffering.
Not everywhere can support just a plant-based diet. If the area can, then they will need to destroy wildlife habitats to plant crops.
The thing that separates us from animals is our ability to morally consider the ethics of eating.
Kant
We are different because we can ethically debate.
"marginal cases" argument: what about those who are mentally disabled and can't debate ethics?
Is it worth the living if death is guaranteed?
If an animal lives a happy life, it is better than no life at all.
"Animals are treated as machines - 'production units' - incapable of feeling pain" (317)
Aristotle
Not eating meat separates us from culture.
Tradition alone is not a good enough reason to continue a practice.
Ultimate omnivore solution
"it is better for these animals to have lived and died than not to have lived at all" (327)
Singer / utilitarianism